Amazon's $219 Halloween witch carries a Star of David on her spell book

Amazon is selling a six-foot-tall animatronic witch Halloween decoration for $219 from Collective Home. The figure has scary claws and menacing facial features.

Its spell book bears a Star of David in place of a pentacle.

Jewish Americans and watchdog groups have criticised the design as an expression of the trope that Jews are sorcerers casting spells on the world.

Moshe Spern, president of the United Jewish Teachers group, said: “Amazon is openly selling a life-size witch reading from a spell book stamped with the Star of David. It's the oldest antisemitic smear – Jews are sorcerers or practice witchcraft.”

Spern said the imagery had been “repackaged as Halloween décor and shipped by the biggest retailer on earth.” He added: “Somebody at Amazon either didn't notice or didn't care. And now it shows up in Brooklyn, New York with all time highs in antisemitism.”

Liora Rez, founder and executive director of the watchdog group StopAntisemitism, also criticised the product. She said: “With antisemitism skyrocketing, it is disturbing to see Jewish symbols quietly inserted into Halloween costumes: a Star of David on a witch's spellbook and a Jewish star replacing the ring on an Austin Powers/Mr. Evil costume. These changes may be presented as small design details, but they evoke harmful stereotypes and can normalize antisemitism.”